The disclosure of Japanese Patent Applications Nos. 2008-213919 and 2008-213920 filed on Aug. 22, 2008, including its specification, claims and drawings, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic return syringe and, more particularly to a configuration of a syringe used for air/water supply using an air/water supply tube disposed in an endoscope or the like and for suctioning through a suction tube and portable as an air/water supply device or suctioning device.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 22 shows a configuration of a prior-art endoscope device, and an endoscope has a distal end portion 1A provided with a solid-state image pickup device, an operation portion 1B provided through a bent portion and the like, for example. In this endoscope, an air/water supply tube 3a and a water supply tube 3b and an air supply tube 3c branching from the air/water supply tube 3a are disposed for washing an observation window arranged on a distal end face, a treatment instrument insertion channel 5a and a suction tube 5b connected to the treatment instrument insertion channel 5a are disposed from a forceps port 4 through which the treatment instrument is to be introduced to the distal end face of the distal end portion 1A, and the treatment instrument insertion channel 5a also functions as a suction tube.
On the operation portion 1B, an air/water supply button 6a for switching between the water supply tube 3b and the air supply tube 3c and for operating air/water supply, a suction button 6b, a camera shutter button 6c and the like are provided. A pump 8 for air/water supply is connected to the water supply tube 3b, through a water supply tank 7 filled with washing water, the pump 8 for air/water supply is directly connected to the air supply tube 3c, and a pump 10 for suction is connected to the suction tube 5b through a suction tank 9.
FIG. 23 shows a configuration of an air/water supply operation portion having the air/water supply button 6a, and in the air/water supply operation portion, a shaft portion (pusher portion and a piston) 11 is arranged inside a receiving portion 10 capable of vertical movement through a spring, and an upper part of the shaft portion 11 becomes the air/water supply button 6a. The water supply tube 3b and the air supply tube 3c are installed in the receiving portion 10, and an air supply path 12E, an outside air opening path 12F, and a water supply path 13E are formed in the shaft portion 11.
According to the endoscope device as above, air fed by an operation of the pump 8 flows into outside air from the air supply tube 3c through the outside air opening path 12F, and when the upper face of the air/water supply button 6a (shaft portion 11) is pressed and the outside air opening path 12F is blocked (air supply operation), the air supply path 12E communicates with the air supply tube 3c so that the air supply from the pump 8 is carried out from a nozzle on the distal end face to the observation window. On the other hand, by pressing the air/water supply button 6a (water supply operation), the air supply tube 3c is closed, and the water supply path 13E communicates with the water supply tube 3b so that the washing water in the water supply tank 7 is injected toward the observation window. By means of the above air supply and water supply, stains or the like adhering on the observation window is removed, and an observation state of an observed body can be maintained favorably.
Alternatively, by operating the suction button 6a, a liquid of the observed body (contents) or the like is sucked through the treatment instrument insertion channel 5a and the suction tube 5b by a suctioning operation of the pump 10 for suction so that the liquid or the like can be discharged to the suction tank 9. The above explanation was made on an example of a mechanical valve, but the air/water supply, suction can be carried out using an electric button (switch) and an opening/closing valve.
However, if the air/water supply, suction are carried out with the prior-art endoscope device, the pump 8 for air/water supply (device) and the pump 10 for suction are needed as mentioned above, and there is a problem of a difficulty in use of the endoscope at facilities where the pump 8 for air/water supply or the pump 10 for suction is not arranged.
Portability of the endoscope device has enabled use thereof at various places other than fully-equipped facilities, use at the bedside, use in emergency and the like, and simplification of the configuration leads to cost reduction. Thus, if devices relating to air supply, water supply or suction can be made portable and simplified, a highly convenient endoscope device can be provided.
Also, a syringe used in general can perform any one of air supply, water supply or suction once by pushing and operating the piston manually but cannot perform continuous air supply, water supply or suction without limitation on supply amount.
The present invention was made in view of the above problems and has an object to provide an automatic return syringe that can perform continuous air supply, water supply or suction easily without limitation on supply amounts and is capable of portability and simplification of devices relating to air supply, water supply or suction leading to portability and simplification of an endoscope device.